Following the attack on important oil installations in Saudi Arabia, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wants to discuss a reaction with the Saudi leadership. The State Department in Washington said that Pompeo will meet with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday in the port city of Jeddah. Pompeo will also "coordinate efforts to counter Iranian aggression in the region". Saudi Arabia is a close ally of the United States.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen were well aware of last Saturday's attacks on oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Pompeo had nevertheless blamed Iran directly for it. US President Donald Trump also targeted Iran as a potential supervisor after the attacks.
Iran, however, rejected any responsibility for the attacks. Foreign Minister Javad Sarif said on Twitter Tuesday that the US denied the reality if they believed that "the Yemeni victims of the worst war crimes over the past four and a half years would not do anything to fight back."
Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister said on Tuesday that there is no record of who is behind the air raids. His country does not know the masterminds, said Prince Abdulasis bin Salman to journalists in Jeddah.
Video from Saudi Arabia: "We see ourselves as victims of a brutal series of attacks"
REUTERS
US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday that it looks like Iran was the author of the attacks. The secret services checked appropriate instructions. "We consult with our allies and the President will determine the best course of action in the coming days." The US did not want war but was ready to defend its interests and its allies.
Saudi Arabia wants to restore oil production soon
The attacks fueled fears of a military escalation in the Middle East and drove oil prices higher.
The managing director of the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, has now announced that the oil production that had collapsed after the attacks will reach the previous level by the end of the month. The energy minister said in Jeddah that half of the collapsed oil production has already been restored.
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On Saturday, several drone strikes hit the country's largest oil refinery in Abkaik, cutting production to about half of its normal volume. According to Opec, Saudi Arabia produced about 9.8 million barrels (159 liters) per day last month. The attacks had cut production by 5.7 million barrels a day.
